The Gremlin
by Blues32
Summary: The origin of my OC villain, as told by him...sort of. Kind of...well, not really. Hinting toward pairings. Reads and Reviews
1. Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER.

I do not own Teen Titans. If I did, there would be a season six. Teen Titans belong to DC Comics. The origin of the Gremlin. I think he's only been included in one other story (the wasn't Reverse World) so I figured I'd do his origin. Read and Review.


	2. Chapter 1

**32 Productions Presents…**

A Teen Titan Fan Fiction The Teen Titans in… 

"**The Gremlin"**

**Chapter One**

**Unknown Area**

The room was dark. The only light was on the figure sitting in the chair in the center of the room. He was leaning back, legs crossed and fingers folded in front of his face. Said face was covered in a rather scary metal mask. The nose was pointed, the eyes were lit a dim red. The mouth was in the shape of a wide, razor toothed grin. His body was covered in a suit of metal armor. Several devices were on top of it. The most noticeable one was a small keypad on the right arm. The left arm had a gun of some kind mounted on the wrist. The barrel of the gun was a slot rather then a round hole like most guns would have. There were other devices too, but we'll get into that later. The figure's voice was obviously digitally altered.

Figure: Who am I? A good question, one you may be asking yourself right now. You may wo…

A screen behind him turned on and a girl's face appeared on it. She looked remarkably like Starfire, save for a different nose and her eyes weren't as…bright. She looked confused.

Girl: Who are you talking to?

The figure smacked his masked forehead.

Figure: I WAS trying to tell a story and make it dramatic.

Girl: Really? I like stories. Go ahead.

The figure sighed and shook his head.

Figure: Just don't interrupt. Okay. Where was I?

Girl: "You may wonder…"

Figure: Oh yeah. You may wonder why I wear this suit. Well I'll tell you, but I warn you now. It's not a happy story.

Girl: Aw…

Figure: G-9, I said don't interrupt!

G-9: Sorry.

Figure: Once there was a man named…er…let's just call him Deathstroke.

G-9: You mean Sla…

Figure: Deathstroke. He was a criminal mastermind. He had all the things a criminal mastermind should have. Robots, monstrous henchmen, and a voice that made chills go up your spine, just to name a few of them. Yet there was one thing he lacked. He didn't have an heir. Nobody to take the reins of his criminal empire. So he decided to make one. He made me. I was grown in a test tube and trained. I was created to be faster, stronger, and smarter. Well, I'm a lot smarter anyway. But then the unthinkable happened. The Titans came to be and Deathstroke saw Robin and the potential he had. With that, he tossed me into a fluid filled tube and put me in a sort of suspended animation. Unfortunately, the process was flawed. Sure, it stopped me from moving, but I could still see…I was still aware. Do you know what it does to you? Can you imagine being force to stare at one section of the wall day after day, week after week, MONTH AFTER MONTH! Is it any wonder I went mad? Thoughts of vengeance consumed me. I wanted to make Deathstroke pay. One day I was granted my freedom, as though my wishes had come true. A terrible quake shook the place, shattering my glass tube and setting me loose upon the world. I wanted to go after Deathstroke, but in the ultimate act of cruel fate, Deathstroke was already dead. After all that time, the person I wanted revenge upon was already gone. Well, that wouldn't do. I decided that if I couldn't kill him, I'd do the next best thing. I'd eliminate his killers for taking the right away from me. I decided to kill the Teen Titans.

:CUE THEME:

**Unknown Area**

The figure leaned back in his chair. He had to let the listeners soak all that in. He cleared his throat before starting again.

Figure: The question was, obviously, how does one do what no one else has been capable of? How does one…no older then them physically speaking…kill them when more experienced people could not? I spent months preparing…gather tools and whatnot…in order to carry out my ingenious plan. Then one afternoon I made my move…the Titans were in the park at the time, relaxing and having an all around good time. Phooey.

**FLASHBACK: The Park**

Robin: Ready, Starfire?

Starfire stood in front of a soccer net. The Titans were playing a game in which each member tried to get the ball past Starfire. It wasn't a soccer game. They were just in a line, taking turns kicking the ball at her. They each got five turns. Whoever had the most points at the end won. Simple, yes? Starfire smiled at Robin and nodded.

Starfire: Yes, Robin. Do your worst…or your best…which ever.

Robin kicked the ball as hard as he could. Starfire just barely managed to block the ball from entering from her left. Robin snapped his fingers in disappointment.

Starfire: Do not fret, Robin. You were most close to success.

Robin: (muttering) Close only counts in horseshoes.

Robin went to the back of the line. Cyborg was ready to kick but stopped to turn toward the only ones not playing.

Cyborg: You sure you don't want to play? I mean, doesn't that get boring?

Raven and Shade were under a tree, meditating. Raven was floating, making her look a lot cooler then Shade who was going to have dirt all over his pants when he stood up, the twit. Raven opened one of her eyes.

Raven: Boredom is irrelevant. This isn't a matter of choice. Besides, I could never get the ball into the air. It just rolls along the ground.

Cyborg: You ain't doing it right then.

Raven: Not important.

She closed her eye again.

Shade: I don't think it's fair that she has to do this by herself.

Raven opened her other eye and glanced at him. While it was nice of him to offer his company and he was quite and didn't ruin her concentration, she often questioned Shade's motives. It was becoming increasingly obvious that Shade had…certain feelings for her. Being able to read people's emotions, it made it very easy to determine that. Raven never said anything about it, because she knew he'd be crushed. With her powers, it was impossible to have a relationship outside of friendship. Even then it seemed that she was pushing her luck. When Cyborg quit the team after an argument with Robin, Raven shattered some of the equipment when Starfire brought it up with her. Then of course there was Terra. Raven felt so betrayed that she lost control and tried to kill the girl. How could she hope to remain in control if she tried to take a relationship to the next level? She suddenly had to quell a surge of hate for her fa…

**Unknown Area**

G-9: Wait, wait, wait.

The figure sighed and pounded his fist on the arm of his chair.

Figure: What!

G-9: How do you know all this?

Figure: Know all of what?

G-9: What the Titans were thinking, saying, and doing?

The figure went silent. G-9 smirked.

G-9: You're making this up, aren't you?

Figure: No! I'm just…well, you see…shut up!

**FLASHBACK: The Park**

…suddenly had to quell a surge of hate for her father. Cyborg failed to get the ball in as well. It was Beast Boy's turn.

Beast Boy: Okay, Star. Check this out!

Beast Boy turned into a seal and lifted the ball up on his nose (it wasn't his hands so he can do that). He tossed it into the air and shifted into a kangaroo. Leaning back on his tail, he slammed both feet into the ball, sending it rocketing toward Starfire. She dove to the right after it, but she only managed to brush it with her fingers. Beast Boy changed back into his human form and pumped his fist.

Beast Boy: GOAL! And the crowd goes wild!  
Raven & Shade: Yay.

Cyborg and Robin grumbled as Starfire picked up the ball.

Starfire: Congratulations, my friend! You are the first person to successful get this sphere past me.

Beast Boy was about to brag when there was an explosion in the city.

Robin: Relaxing time is over, Titans!

**Downtown**

The destruction was easy enough to track. The cause was a large group of robots marching down the streets, destroying various objects as they went, such as cars, streetlamps, and mailboxes. Humanoid in design, they were a flashy white and silver color. Rather then heads, they had small lens in their chests for visual purposes. The robots were bulky, thickly armored. They had guns mounted on their arms. Judging from how some of them punched through the streetlamp posts, they had a decent amount of physical might as well. The Titans put themselves in front of the marching army.

Cyborg: …okay, that's a lot of robots.

Shade: No crap. What do we do now?

Robin pulled out his bo-staff and spun it.

Robin: We stop them.

Shade: Brilliant strategy, Napoleon. You think we can handle a hundred robots?

Raven folded her arms and shook her head.

Raven: I never thought of you as a coward before.

Shade's eyes widened under his sunglasses.

Shade: I'm sorry, what did you say?

Raven: I never thought of you as a…

Shade: I'm NOT a coward!

Shade was now prepared to take down the entire army marching toward them. Raven suppressed a smiled of satisfaction. Shade was so easily provoked.

Robin: Titans, GO!

Robin started off the attack by swinging his staff into the first robot he came in contact with. It made a loud clang and caused it to lose its balance, but other then that no visible signs of damage were evident. It pointed its gun at him. He jumped away, flinging a birdarang at it. It wedged into the robot's gun barrel and it backfired, blowing it up. Starfire took to the air and swooped down, plowing a path through them. She put a ball of green energy in front of her as she did so, but didn't throw it. Metal limbs and wires flew everywhere. Beast Boy turned into an Anchisaurus (which I'm pretty sure is the name of the four legged herbivore dinosaur that had a tough shell with spines along the side and a tail with a big ball at the tip made of bone or something. Used it as a club. I could be wrong about the name) and spun, his club-like tail bashing through them. They fired at him, but his thick hide saved him from serious injury. Before they could continue, Cyborg stepped in, putting his fist through the nearest robot and using its now twitching body as a projectile to knock other robots over. Speaking her words, Raven put several of the robots into a sphere and lifted them way up into the sky before releasing them. They came crashing down on other robots, destroying them. Shade created spikes from the shadows under the robots, splitting them down the middle. In no time the robots were all trash. Shade smirked at Raven, panting.

Shade: Who's a coward now?

Raven: (rolling her eyes) My hero.

Robin examined the metal scraps that remained of their attackers. He was unfamiliar with the design.

Starfire: From where did these strange machines come from, Robin?

Robin was silent for a moment.

Robin: No idea.

Cyborg: Go on, man.

Beast Boy: You know you wanna say it.

Robin sighed.

Robin: They might be Deathstroke's. He always uses machines. Besides, who else could make robots like these?

Voice from above: Oh! Oh! Pick me, teacher!

They looked up to see a figure in a metal suit sitting on the roof of a small shop. He had his hand raised, waving it wildly like a student trying to get permission to use the bathroom. Though they couldn't see his face, Raven and Starfire couldn't help but be attracted to his animal magnetism and…

**Unknown Area**

G-9: "Animal magnetism"?

Figure: What?

The face on the screen gave the figure a look that suggested she wasn't quite buying it. He sighed.

Figure: Fine, fine! Geez…

**FLASHBACK: Downtown**

…to get permission to use the bathroom. Starfire tilted her head slightly.

Starfire: …that is the most repulsive suit of battle armor I have ever seen.

Raven: Just what are you supposed to be anyway?

Figure: Tsk. You're just jealous of my sense of style.

He stood up and bowed politely.

Figure: Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Gremlin, evil technological genius extraordinaire.

Robin: These are your creations?

Gremlin: Well, they WERE before you so rudely smashed them. Honestly, just because I set them loose in a public setting, you think it's okay to smash them? Have you no respect for other people's property?

Beast Boy: People could have been hurt, dude.

Gremlin put his hands on the side of his mask and spoke with mock surprise.

Gremlin: Hurt you say? Gadzooks! Why didn't that occur to me before?

He threw back his head and laughed.

Gremlin: Hahahaha…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! Of course they could have been hurt! It's a PUBLIC SETTING! What part of that didn't you understand?

Needless to say, the Titans weren't pleased with his lack of concern over the danger to human life his machines had posed.

Raven: You're sick.

Gremlin waved his hand, dismissing her comment.

Gremlin: Yes, well that's your opinion. In any case, you're going to pay for what you did to Deathstroke.

Robin: (fists clenched) You want revenge for HIM!

Gremlin: No, you idiot! I want revenge because you killed him before I could! He was MINE!

He jumped down from the roof, landing on a car and putting a dent in it. Gremlin held up his hand and made a "bring it" gesture. The Titans came for him. He pointed his arm at Robin and razor blades shot from a gun mounted under his wrist. Robin deflected them with his bo-staff and swung at him. Gremlin grabbed the staff easily and flung him away. He leapt back as Raven flung various objects at him, mostly trash from a nearby alley. He pointed his finger at her and fired a laser. Raven dodged left and it went past her, cutting a streetlamp post in half. Shade sank into the ground and came up behind him. He raised both fists into the air but Gremlin spun and grabbed him by the throat. It was like being put into a vice. Shade gagged and struggled but he couldn't get away. Gremlin put his finger, the one the laser had come out of, on the side of his head.

Gremlin: Stay back or he dies.

The Titans immediately froze. Gremlin snickered.

Gremlin: Idiotic boy. You can't sneak up on me. It's just not possible.

Shade's vision was starting to swim. Gremlin lifted him and positioned him between him and the other Titans, still strangling him and putting his finger on the side of his head.

Gremlin: So it comes to this. The only question is how to I kill him. Do I use the laser? The razor blades perhaps? I could just choke him to death, that's obvious enough. Or maybe…maybe I'll snap his neck like a twig. Yeah…let's go with that.

Gremlin tried to break his neck, but for some reason he couldn't seem to do it. Raven used this sudden distraction to lift a garbage lid up from behind him and fling it at him. Gremlin seemed to know something was coming as he stiffened up but it didn't stop him from getting hit. He dropped Shade who sank to the ground, gasping for air. Robin flung an electro disc at him and it hit Gremlin in the chest. He screamed and fell over. Starfire helped Shade to his feet. His voice was raspy and he coughed a lot between words.

Shade: Thanks…that was close.

Beast Boy: Dude, what happened? Why didn't he break you neck?

Shade pointed to the back of his neck.

Shade: I suffered a bad injury when I was younger. I was currently being…experimented on and they decided it was better for their guinea pig if I was treated. They put metal discs in my neck. It not only fixed the injury, but it made it increasingly difficult to damage it again.

Robin was in his face in a second.

Robin: You IDIOT! What the hell where you doing!

Shade looked confused. What did he do wrong now?

Robin: You just came up behind him and tried to hit him, not knowing what he was capable of? You don't get that close!

Shade: How was I to know he'd somehow sense me coming?

Robin looked ready to slug him.

Robin: You didn't! That's my point!

Shade: Yeah, yeah, I'm a naughty boy. Can we discuss this after we take him to…?

Gremlin was gone. In his place was a music box. There was a note on it that said, "Open me".

Raven: Anyone else think that's a tiny bit suspicious?

Robin: No way…he should have been out for a good half hour at least!

Shade: Wow, guess we all screwed up today.

Robin glared at him. Shade covered his mouth.

Shade: That's not what I meant to…

Robin: Raven. Put a shield around it and open the box.

Raven nodded and did as he said. The figurine that spun around was made to look like Gremlin.

Gremlin: (recording) Gotcha! Bet you thought this would explode or something! Don't you worry now, I'll be back. Until then, amigos.

The music box fell apart. Robin turned and grabbed Shade by his coat.

Robin: Your rash actions cost us this fight. Not to mention that if he HAD managed to break your neck, you'd be dead.

Shade: Hey…it was an honest mistake.

Robin: It was the mistake only an IDIOT would make!

Robin turned and left. Shade turned to the others.

Shade: You guys understand, right? I mean, it could have happened to anyone.

Nobody responded. They just followed Robin. Shade stared after them, clenching his fists until his palms bled.

**END PART ONE**


	3. Chapter 2

**32 Productions Presents…**

A Teen Titan Fan Fiction The Teen Titans in… 

"**The Gremlin"**

**Chapter Two**

**Titan Tower: Raven's Room**

Raven took a deep breath, inhaling the incense she had lit. She needed to relax and calm down. Seeing Shade in that position was…distressing. It reminded her of a nightmare. She got a lot of those, often about the deaths of those close to her. This one was, obviously, about Shade. He was in terrible shape, battered and bleeding. The most prominent wound was a nasty sized hole in his shoulder. He was saying something, but Raven could never make out the words. All she heard was the laughter of her demonic father. Then Shade's eyes closed. She shook it off. The emotions that such dreams brought were dangerous. Raven had to suffocate the emotion with logic. It was just a dream. Nothing more.

Rumbling Voice: What'cha thinking about, kiddo?

The voice was from the monster under her bed. …or maybe she was crazy. Raven wasn't sure. Either way, he was someone to talk to. She first heard him back in Azarath. When you're the daughter of a demon lord, you find that there are more terrifying things in the world then a voice under your bed. It was a delightful surprise when he seemed to follow her here…unless she WAS crazy in which case the voice never left. Raven called him Earl.

Raven: Dreams.

Earl: Ah, the one with the boys in the sauna again?

Raven's expression remained stoic but her cheeks grew red.

Raven: I have no idea what you're talking about.

Earl: I'm just tease you, squirt.

Raven: Either way, I'd rather not talk about it.

Earl sighed. It sounded more like a gurgle.

Earl: You mean you'd rather not think about it.

Raven: Exactly. Now, if you please…I need silence.

**Training Room**

Shade slammed his fist against the punching bag, his teeth clenched in rage. He was furious right now. He was furious with Robin for yelling at him. He was furious at his friends for not sticking up for him. He was furious at Gremlin for humiliating him. Most of all, he was furious at himself for letting it happen. With each punch, he remembered something that made him angrier. He remembered how weak Gremlin made him feel. Punch. He remembered how Gremlin mocked him, called him an idiot. Punch. He remembered how he threatened to kill him in front of his friends. Punch! He remembered how he needed to be saved. PUNCH! He remembered how Robin blamed him for the whole thing. His anger had reached a boiling point. He slashed at the bag with his claws. As the stuff it was filled with fell to the floor, he pictured Gremlin in its stead, his organs spilling out. He slashed again and again until nothing but rags hanged from the rope. Shade took a deep breath. He had to calm down.

Shade: (whisper) It's okay. It's okay, You're okay. Be calm. No one is going to care for a wild animal.

It was what he really wanted. Somebody that cared about him. With these animal-like outbursts he was scaring everyone away. His teammates would avoid him. Was it any surprise? The things they knew he was capable of…they had a right to be scared. He couldn't help it. No matter how hard he tried…no matter how much he denied it…he would always be an animal.

**Beast Boy's Room**

Beast Boy sat on his bed, his music blasting. Today it was doing nothing to help him. Now Beast Boy wasn't the brightest guy in the world but even he knew what Robin was really so upset about. Shade was almost killed. Not that that was uncommon. In this line of work, you have to expect that. However, this time it was done right in front of them, almost no way for them to help. If not for his metal neck or whatever he said, Shade would be no more. That made Robin feel helpless and that was one thing that Robin couldn't stand. Gremlin… So this guy was there to kill them because Deathstroke was dead. That reminded him of Terra and anything that reminded him of Terra made him depressed.

**Main Room**

Robin typed at the computer, looking for any sort of clue that could help them track down Gremlin. Specifically he was looking for shipments (or robberies) of materials that could be used to build those robots. Cyborg was studying the remains of them. He'd report anything interesting if he found it. Starfire entered the room.

Starfire: Ah, Tim. I was searching for you.

Robin: Hey, Kori.

Starfire stood behind him.

Starfire: Playing the games of the computer?  
Robin: Nah. Trying to track down Gremlin. I've been looking into any purchases or thefts of materials that might be used to create those junk heaps we trashed.

Starfire studied the screen. On the screen there was a list of materials, the company they came from, and the name of the buyer. There was another list for the thefts next to it.

Starfire: …indeed. Have you found anything?

Robin: Nada.

Starfire raised an eyebrow (man, those things are small. Look me in the eyes and tell me she doesn't have tiny eyebrows. I dare you.).

Starfire: Am I to assume that this…"nada" you speak of is not helpful?

Robin: It means nothing.

Starfire: Oh…that is not helpful at all.

Robin hit the arm of the chair he was sitting in.

Robin: Argh! I just don't understand? How can he build all those robots without buying and stealing stuff!

Starfire thought for a moment then snapped her fingers. She smiled broadly.

Starfire: I believe I have it!

Robin was doubtful but went along with it.

Robin: Really? What?

Starfire: He acquires them through the rummaging of the yards of junk!

Robin stared at her blankly. Her smile faded. Maybe it was a dumb idea…or maybe she had just mispronounced something. Suddenly Robin grinned.

Robin: That's brilliant, Star! He uses the robots we scrapped along with other parts to create his robots!

Starfire blushed and rubbed the back of her head.

Starfire: I am happy to have aided you.

Cyborg: I don't think that's all he does.

Cyborg placed a cylinder shaped objects in front of them.

Starfire: …when did you arrive?

Robin: Is that a power cell?

Cyborg: Yeah. From STAR labs. I get them delivered here now and then in case something happens. You got anything stolen or bought from there?

Robin: Not really.

Cyborg: Well, pull up the list, man.

Robin did just that. Cyborg scanned over it and frowned.

Cyborg: Here.

Starfire: Cyborg, that is your shipment.

Cyborg: Yeah…with twice as much in it as there should be and twice as much that arrived.

Robin: He robbed in on route?

Cyborg: Looks that way.

Robin rubbed his chin in thought.

Robin: When's your next shipment, Cy?

Cyborg: Tomorrow night.

Robin: …if Gremlin tries to steal this shipment…he's going to get a little surprise.

**Back of Truck: Next Night**

Cyborg rubbed his nose and scowled at Robin.

Cyborg: If by surprise you meant finding us beaten and battered, I'd say you were right.

The ride was bumpy and the turns were throwing the Titans against the walls (no seatbelts back there don't you know). Raven put a shield up around herself, but now she was dizzy from being slammed all over the place.

Raven: (dazed) Okay. Now I know how a pinball feels.

Robin: Okay, maybe this wasn't one of my better ideas.

Beast Boy: Damn straight, dude! How do we know this guy is even going to try and rob this shipment? Maybe he's got enough stu…

The truck came to a sharp and unexpected stop. The Titans were flung into the wall.

Shade: Gah! My nose!

Starfire: My apologies, Shade.

The back of the truck opened and the driver stepped in. He grabbed a crate and started to take it out of the truck, ignoring the stowaways. He placed it down a ways from the truck and went back for another.

Beast Boy: Uh…hello! Hey, Mr. Driver-guy!

Starfire: Perhaps he is death?

Robin: Deaf.

Starfire: Yes, that.

Raven's eyes narrowed and she shook her head.

Raven: No…something is very wrong. I'm not sensing anything from him. No emotions, no thoughts…nothing.

Beast Boy let out a shriek.

Beast Boy: Zombies! Oh man, it's gonna eat my brain!

Shade: (muttering) Only if he's on a diet.

Cyborg: Don't care what he is. He ain't stealing my stuff. Yo, put the friggin' box down!

The driver stopped outside the truck and began to twitch. The Titans leapt out of the back and stared at the guy. He looked like he was having a seizure.

Cyborg: …uh…was it something I said?

Gremlin: Indubitably. He took it as a threat to stop him.

The Titans turned and found him sitting on top of the truck in a meditation style. He gave them a quick salute in greeting.

Robin: What's wrong with the driver?

Gremlin: Besides wearing nothing but his underwear and being in a ditch about a few miles back? Nothing really. That's not the driver. He's another one of my ever so ingenious machines.

Raven: …that explains a lot.

The robot's twitching was becoming more violent. Somehow he appeared to be…larger then before. Gremlin stood up and put his hands behind his back. Somehow…that disturbed Robin. Déjà vu…

Gremlin: I do so adore machines you know. Loyal…obedient…and above petty squabbles. They do whatever pleases me…and right now it would please me immensely to see you six dead.

Beast Boy rolled his eyes.

Beast Boy: Dude, in case you forgot, we trashed an army of your tin cans the first time. What makes you think this one…can…eep.

Gremlin: (snickering) I don't know. Just a feeling.

The crate had opened up on it own accord and the stuff inside was attaching to the "driver". Soon he went from a five foot eight man with a beer belly to a giant tank that towered above the Titans.

Gremlin: Remind me to apologize to the driver about his clothes…

The tank began to move forward on its treads.

Robin: Titans, GO!

The Titans charged toward the tank. Robin was getting ready to follow suit when a cable wrapped around his arm. He turned back to see that the other end of the cable was attached to a part of Gremlin's armor. He had a tight grasp around the other end. With a sharp tug, Robin was pulled back. He just barely managed to stay on his feet.

Gremlin: Ah, ah, ah. Not you.

Gremlin jumped, flipping in the air and landing in front of Robin, blocking his path to the tank. He stood up slowly, sending the same chills and feelings of déjà vu through Robin as before. He had seen this behavior before…

Gremlin: You're mine, boy.

**Tank Fight**

The tank was obviously designed to combat the Titans. Actually only its lower half was like a tank. The upper part was a giant human torso, complete with head and arms. It was a very BIG upper torso, but still a human like torso. The tank was obviously designed to combat the Titans. A pack on its back emitted a pulse that disrupted Raven's powers each time she tried to use them. She couldn't even stay in the air. Since Raven's powers were telekinetic in nature, she assumed it was sort of an EMP disrupting the external "brainwaves" for lack of a better term. Starfire's starbolts had no effect. It just made it glow green a little more each time she tried them. Cyborg's sonic cannon blasts were redirected at them. For Shade, it had intense bright lights that destroyed his creations…not to mention blinded anyone it shined on. Beast Boy grinned and puffed up his chest.

Beast Boy: Oh yeah? Well none of that stuff can stop the mighty Beast Boy! Looks like I get to be the hero this ti…

A hose emerged from the stomach area of the upper body and coated Beast Boy in a sticky green fluid. He stood there, his eyes wide with disgust.

Beast Boy: This…is…NASTY!

Cyborg: That's it. It may be immune to my cannon, but ain't nothing immune to my fists!

With a yell, Cyborg leapt at the tank and slammed his fist down. It barely put a dent in it. The chest section opened and a gun pointed down at him. The green glow that came from Starfire's attacks flowed through until it fired a green blast from the gun. It struck the ground in front of him and Cyborg was thrown back. One of its arms stretched out and grabbed Shade in its pincers. It lifted him up, squeezing tightly. Shade let out a shout of agony as his bones strained against the pressure.

Raven: Beast Boy, now would be a good time to DO something.

Beast Boy: Right. I'm all over it, babe.

Raven: (mutter) Don't call me "babe".

After what could only be described as a look of extreme constipation, Beast Boy stared at his goop covered body in shock.

Raven: What? What's wrong?

Beast Boy: I…I can't change. Something is stopping me…!

Just when Shade thought it couldn't get much worse, it began to pump electricity through the arm. Having seen enough, Starfire came from behind and wrapped her arms around its head. She began to squeeze, the metal shrieking in protest as it ever so slowly began to cave in to her alien strength. It threw Shade down and its arms swung for Starfire, but she swooped out of the way. Cyborg caught Shade before he could crash into the pavement.

**END PART TWO**


	4. Chapter 3

**32 Productions Presents…**

A Teen Titan Fan Fiction The Teen Titans in… 

"**The Gremlin"**

**Chapter Three**

**Robin and Gremlin**

The eerie feeling that he had been through this before continued for the teen wonder. The fighting style was…it had to be… He jumped back, putting distance between them.

Robin: Just who the hell are you?

Gremlin: Robin…surely you don't expect me to supply you with all the answers.

Robin's eyes widened. That clinched it. The voice was different due to the digital alterations, but the tone was unmistakable…yet…Gremlin was too short...

Robin: You're just like him…

Gremlin froze in mid-step. His body shook with rage.

Gremlin: (softly) Just…like…who?

Robin: Deathstro…

Gremlin jumped forward and brought his foot down. Robin moved right just in time to save his skull from a nasty impact. Gremlin pointed at him, his other hand clenched tightly.

Gremlin: I'm NOTHING like him! You hear me, Robin! Do you!

This was interesting. As dangerous as Gremlin seemed to be, he had a weakness of sorts. It was risky, but maybe if Robin angered him enough, he'd make a mistake. How very Spider-man of him to think of that.

Robin: You're exactly like him. The way you fight, the way you sound…everything about you screams "Deathstroke".

Gremlin leapt forward with a bellow of anger and grabbed Robin's cape as he tried to flip away again. With a fierce swing, he slammed him against the side of the truck. Gremlin gripped him around the throat and slammed him against it again.

Gremlin: What was that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of your cries of pain.

Gremlin pulled his fist back and punched Robin in the stomach, HARD. It hurt even more because he was pinned to the truck and couldn't move back with the blow. Robin let out a weak sound of pain before coughing violently. Gremlin let him go and he collapsed to the ground. Gremlin bent down and grabbed him by the back of his neck. He lifted him up slightly so that he was on his knees.

Gremlin: Don't pass out on me yet, Robin. I'm not through with you.

Now that he thought about it, maybe pissing him off wasn't his best idea. He slowly reached down for his belt. Gremlin tossed him and he skid briefly along the pavement when he landed. Gremlin turned to the others.

Gremlin: Yes, just as I planned. In order to halt its progress, they attack the treads. It won't be long now. You see, Robin, I designed that robot to counter all of their special abilities. They don't have a chance. None of you ever did.

Gremlin walked over to Robin casually. Robin pulled a canister from his belt and held it closely. He rolled over on to his back. Now…if Gremlin would just be so kind as to let him near his ugly mug… Fortunately for him, Gremlin decided to pick him up by his shirt for further taunting. Villains…how predictable. He sprayed the contents of the canister onto Gremlin's mask. Gremlin dropped him and staggered back, wiping at the eye lenses of his mask.

Gremlin: Can't…see…what was that!

Robin stood up and smirked.

Robin: Spray paint.

Gremlin: You smug little…

Gremlin was cut off as Robin brought his foot across the metal mask. Despite the pain he was in, that was one of the most satisfying things he had ever done. Gremlin swung blindly, but Robin dodged it and kicked him across the face again. This time Gremlin's mask flew off. Before Robin could get a look at his face, he covered it with his hand. Gremlin's voice was full of panic and sounded strangely muffled. Now it sounded even less like Deathstroke's.

Gremlin: No! Get back!

Gremlin pointed his arm at him and began firing blindly. Robin jumped back, not wanting a razor blade stuck in his face.

**Tank Fight**

When they ripped off the treads, the device on its back beeped and it started floating. Now it was faster and more maneuverable then before.

Cyborg: It's no good…we can't stop it.

Starfire: It has an answer to all of our powers, what can we do?

Raven thought for a moment then was struck with an idea.

Raven: That device on its back…would you say that was the thing preventing me from using my powers?

Beast Boy: Yeah…why?

Raven: Maybe…maybe it can't do both at once…_Azarath Mentrion Zinthos_!

The light fixtures on the robot were covered with dark energy and crushed into a useless state.

Shade: What the…?

Starfire: Of course…if it is using the device for transportation, it cannot block Raven's power any longer!

Raven: Exactly…your turn, Shade.

Shade grinned and cracked his knuckles.

Beast Boy: …dude, didn't you just say you hurt your hand?

Shade bit his bottom lip. Yes he had…and now he was pretty sure he had broken his already damaged fingers.

Shade: (pained) Shut up. Just shut up.

Shade created a giant battering ram.

Shade: Star, if you would.

Starfire grabbed the battering ram and flew back for extra distance. Shade created a wall behind the tank.

Shade: Little help, Raven. It's not easy to do this with one hand.

Raven: You just want to be in my head again, don't you?

Raven wove her powers around his. There was no sudden burst of emotions like the first time their powers met (and Shade found himself slightly disappointed). Starfire charged forward, slamming the ram into the thing's chest and bringing it into the wall behind it. She kept pushing until she managed to force the battering ram to touch the wall. Needless to say the tank was scrap metal.

**Robin and Gremlin**

Gremlin had Robin down. Robin was exhausted. How could he fit that much ammunition into his suit? It wasn't bulky at all. The fact that he had several razors imbedded in his legs and chest didn't help. Gremlin raised his other hand and talons emerged from the fingers on his suit.

Gremlin: I hate you so much. When I'm done with you not even Bruce will be able to tell who you are…were…whatever.

Robin: (stunned) Wh…what did you say?

Gremlin: I…I don't know…I…I meant to say Batman and…

Gremlin's hand was grabbed by a large metal one.

Cyborg: Game over, freak.

Gremlin: No! You…you can't have defeated my robot…all the time and effort I put into it…checking and rechecking its design... How could you have won?

Raven: It's called multi-tasking. Look into it.

Starfire helped Robin up as Cyborg grabbed his other hand and started to pull it away from his face.

Gremlin: (freaking out) No! Stop it! Don't! I don't want to…!

Beast Boy: Dude, it's a standard thing. When people in masks fight, the loser has to take off his mask…or his hand…you know what I mean. Let's see your face.

The reasons behind his mask became very clear when they pulled his hand away. His face was hideously deformed. His voice was muffled due to the flesh that stretched over parts of it, keeping him from opening it very far. He had no nose, just a pit in his face. His eyes were unnaturally wide and covered with a thin film. That explained why he had such a hard time aiming when his mask had come off and why he didn't just pull his mask off (well that and his extreme ugliness) when Robin covered the lenses with paint.

Beast Boy: …okay, put his mask back on! Seriously, I'm gonna hurl!

Shade yanked out each of the blades in Robin's body and Raven healed the wound if it started gushing blood (a few blades hit arteries). Robin sighed and picked up Gremlin's mask.

Robin: Tell us who you are and you get the mask back.

Gremlin: Give me the mask first.

Robin: …Cyborg, you got a good grip on him?

Cyborg: Yeah. He ain't going no where.

Robin put the mask back over Gremlin's hideous face. The eyes lit up, visible even underneath the paint.

Gremlin: That's better…so hard to breath without this thing. As for who I am, I'm the one you replaced.

Robin: Pardon?

Gremlin: I was groomed to be Deathstroke's apprentice since I was created. I'm a clone of Deathstroke himself.

Raven: No wonder Deathstroke wears that mask.

Gremlin: He doesn't look like this, you ignorant…! Never mind. That's not the point. The…disfigurement is a result of an error in the cloning process. I've always had to wear some sort of mask. He taught me how to fight, how to plan, and gave me all the books I needed to learn all that I know about technology. Yet once he heard about YOU, he dumped me like a sack of bricks.

Robin looked confused and more then a little angry. Whether it was at Gremlin or just the thought of Deathstroke was unclear.

Robin: Why?

Gremlin: How should I know! All I know is that he drugged me one day and I woke up floating naked in a tube.

Shade: There's a delightful mental image. Thanks for that.

Gremlin: He locked me away like some broken down machine that was no longer useful. ME! His own flesh and blood in the most LITERAL of sense! I was stuck there, staring straight ahead for God knows how long. It all blurred together after a while. Then one day a huge earthquake hit the place and the tube shattered. When I went to kill Deathstroke, I found out he was already dead and YOU were to blame. I thought about smashing Terra, but it occurred to me that she was also the reason I was freed from the tube in the first place. So I turned to killing you. I mean, what else was I going to do? …you saw my face. This is all I have.

Beast Boy rubbed his chin.

Beast Boy: Okay…what if that's what he wanted?

Gremlin: Who wha who wha?

Beast Boy: I mean, Deathstroke was king of whacked out evil plans. Maybe he created you, trained you, then locked you away so that if he died, you'd take revenge on his killers. I bet he even made you all ugly on purpose.

Gremlin took that in for a moment.

Gremlin: …then…in getting my revenge…I was doing exactly what he wanted. He used my hate for his own gain… I'm a tool…I'm just a fing tool…

Gremlin kept repeating that he was a tool in a soft muttering voice. He stared off into space. Occasionally he chuckled or sobbed which really freaked the Titans out.

Starfire: …though he attempted to take our lives, I cannot help but pity him.

Gremlin: (soft mutter) Just a tool…I was just his tool…

Raven: …I can relate.

The others gave her a questioning look, but she said nothing further.

Shade: So we ship his ass to jail now?

Robin: No…no, there's a better place for him then jail.

**Titan Tower: Med-lab**

The Titans were…

**Unknown Area**

G-9: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a second.

Gremlin: What now? I'm almost done here!

G-9: There is no way you know what happened with them next. Come on, tell me the truth.

Gremlin sighed.

Gremlin: Would you stop asking stupid questions and LISTEN?

G-9: …you realize you're yelling at a computer, right?

Gremlin: …I hate you.

**Titan Tower: Med-lab**

The Titans were patching themselves up. Robin had a few wounds that required stitches despite Raven's best efforts. Shade needed to fix up his hand and Beast Boy wanted to know what was wrong with him. …meaning why he couldn't change. We're not talking mental help.

Starfire: Robin, do you believe they can help Gremlin?

Robin: …probably not. I've dealt with a lot of nutcases before Starfire. They never got any better. In fact, most of them got worse.

Raven: And being pummeled by a giant bat had nothing to do with that.

Robin gave Raven a look. She shrugged.

Raven: Sensitive subject. Sorry.

Cyborg finally got a print out of Beast Boy's tests.

Beast Boy: So what's the verdict? Am I dying? Am I disintegrating cell by cell?

Shade: "Disintegrating"? Big word there, Grass Stain.

Cyborg: Nah, it's nothing like that. The chemical you got sprayed with forced your DNA to stabilize.

Beast Boy stared at him blankly.

Beast Boy: …say what?

Raven: (patronizing) You got hit with transformation no-no juice.

The others laughed as Beast Boy gave her a dirty look.

Shade: (wiping fake tear) Oh man. That was good.

Raven: …uh…thanks?

Beast Boy: …not funny.

**Unknown Area**

Gremlin: And that's how it all began, the end.

G-9: Hold on there. How'd you get out the asylum? When did you recover from the shock?

Gremlin laughed.

Gremlin: Please. I never broke down at all. As if the idea that Deathstroke had planned it all never occurred to me. It was all a clever ploy. Escaping from jail would have been much more difficult then escaping an asylum where everyone thinks I'm near comatose. You know those nano-machines I injected myself with?

G-9's image shifted to that of a model of an insect-like robot.

G-9: Yes. The self-replicating nano-machines. You use them to heal faster, promote increased physical strength and resistance to pain, and various other thing.

Gremlin: Ah, yes…my favorite creations.

G-9's face returned to the screen, looking hurt. Gremlin sighed.

Gremlin: Besides you, of course.

G-9: Are you ever going to build me that body?

Gremlin: Would you stop asking me that? Where was I? Oh yeah. I cut myself and put a drop of my blood into my doctor's coffee mug. During therapy, I used them to control his mind.

G-9: But the nano-machines were designed to break down after they exit your body to prevent anyone from replicating them.

Gremlin: So I had to work fast, didn't I? The point is, I escaped and the good doctor hung himself.

G-9: He felt that bad about letting you get away?

Gremlin laughed in a more evil fashion.

Gremlin: Not exactly.

G-9's eyes widened.

G-9: You made him kill himself!

Gremlin: Exactly. I had confessed everything to him. He couldn't be allowed to tell anyone.

G-9: That's…horrible.

Gremlin: You wanted to hear the story.

G-9: Well, you're a crappy story teller, sir.

**THE END**


End file.
